And if you were among the more powerful politicians in the region, wouldn't you find yourself a tame judge, probably a judge you slated for election, and make sure that they ruled your way? After all, this is Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, right?
- There is a new state law in place that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says bans teachers from striking for anything other than compensation. Emanuel says the two issues remaining on the table have nothing to do with that, raising the question: is this a legal strike?
Mayor Emanuel has repeatedly made the statement that the teachers union is conducting a strike of choice, and that teachers are striking over two items that are not subject to a job action under current Illinois law.
Emanuel says the law states teachers may strike only because of compensation, and according to the mayor, neither of the disputed contract items involve pay or benefits.
Rahm throws this bullshit out there and Chuck Goudie is in line to guzzle it up and attempt to de-legitimize the Teachers' Strike. Here's where you know that Rahm is completely full of crap:
Monday, the I-Team asked Mayor Emanuel whether he would order city attorneys to court, challenge the strike as illegal and ask that teachers be ordered back to work. A spokesperson for the mayor late Monday afternoon said, his "first priority -- as it has been all along -- is to have the negotiating team meeting with the union rather than meeting with a judge."
Teachers union attorney Robert Bloch says some issues that are subject to collective bargaining are not shrinkable, but he reiterates teachers are currently within the law in what they are striking for.
Mayor Emanuel continues to disagree. However, he seems intent on working this out at the table, not in the courtroom.
He disagrees out loud, but his actions belie someone who knows exactly what the law says and knows he hasn't got anything close to a valid standing in the courts.